Log Cabin Announces First Round of 2002 Federal Endorsements

GOP Senate and House Republicans Strongly Back Log Cabin Mission

June 20, 2002

(WASHINGTON, DC) – The nation's largest gay Republican organization today announced its first round of endorsements in the 2002 campaigns for the U.S. House and Senate. Three incumbent Senators, 27 incumbent House members and 4 House challengers were endorsed by unanimous vote of the Log Cabin Republicans' Board of Directors, meeting in Washington earlier this week.

"Supporting our friends in the Republican Party is a top priority for our organization, and we will be out there in the field, standing by our endorsed candidates in this tough election year," said Kevin Ivers, Log Cabin Director of Public Affairs.

Among those endorsed were two embattled Republican women – Senator Susan Collins of Maine and Congresswoman Connie Morella of Maryland, both strong supporters of gay issues in Congress – who have come under attack from partisan Democratic gay organizations who have announced their intention to drive them from office despite their support of the gay community.

"The Democratic Party and its allies have once again declared war on Republican supporters of the gay community, and will spend millions of dollars to defeat as many gay-supportive Republicans as possible in this election," Ivers said. "With so much being funneled from gay organizations through the Democratic Party aimed at defeating some of our best Republican friends, we will go the extra mile in this cycle to support those who have supported us."

The Log Cabin Board of Directors, with substantial input from grass-roots chapter leaders at Log Cabin's April convention, also hammered out a wide-ranging strategy blueprint for the House and Senate fall campaign, focusing on field operations and training, direct campaign support, inclusive party-building activities and other means of support.

With 34 endorsements in the first round, additional Log Cabin endorsements of House and Senate GOP candidates should be expected as the election season progresses.

Log Cabin Republicans is the nation's largest gay and lesbian Republican organization, with state and local chapters nationwide, a full-time national office and a federal political action committee.